Kim A . Jansson ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT RECONSTRUCTION with special reference to magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of the postoperative outcome

.................................................................................7 Introduction............................................................................9 Review of the literature ........................................................10 Anterior cruciate ligament ........................................................... 10 Anatomy and function ............................................................................. 10 Epidemiology of ACL tear ......................................................................... 10 Accompanying injuries............................................................................. 11 ACL surgery ................................................................................. 11 Indications............................................................................................. 11 Techniques ............................................................................................ 12 Complications......................................................................................... 13 Postoperative evaluation ............................................................. 13 Clinical evaluation................................................................................... 13 Knee radiography ................................................................................... 14 Magnetic resonance imaging..................................................................... 14 MRI features ................................................................................ 14 Graft integrity ........................................................................................ 14 Periligamentous tissue............................................................................. 15 Contrast enhancement............................................................................. 15 Bone tunnel placement ............................................................................ 16 Bone tunnel enlargement ......................................................................... 17 Graft impingement.................................................................................. 18 Artifacts ................................................................................................ 18 Aims of the study ..................................................................20 Materials and methods..........................................................21 Patients ....................................................................................... 21 Surgical treatment ....................................................................... 22 Patellar tendon technique......................................................................... 22 Hamstring tendon technique..................................................................... 23 Postoperative care .................................................................................. 24 Follow-up and scoring.................................................................. 25 Clinical evaluation................................................................................... 25 Radiographic evaluation........................................................................... 25 MRI evaluation ....................................................................................... 26